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Bill expands overtime for California farmworkers

A new bill would pay farmworkers overtime after eight hours per day or 40 hours per week. Currently, farmworkers can work up to 10 hours per day, six days a week before they become eligible for overtime.

A new bill would pay farmworkers overtime after eight hours per day or 40 hours per week. Currently, farmworkers can work up to 10 hours per day, six days a week before they become eligible for overtime.

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Updated: 11:54 PM PDT Aug 29, 2016

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WEBVTT KCRA 3'S TOM MILLER IS LIVE AT THE STATE CAPITOL WITH THIS BIG DEVELOPMENT IN OVERTIME PAY. TOM? TOM: THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE PLAN ARGUE IT WILL COST CALIFORNIA JOBS. SUPPORTERS SAYING THIS NEW PAY IS DECADES OVERDUE. [SINGING] TOM: WAVING THE RED AND BLACK FLAG OF THE UNITED FARMWORKERS, HUNDREDS PRAISE THE PASSAGE OF AB 1066. MONICA GONZALEZ IS HERSELF A FARMWORKER. IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY, IT'S ABOUT TIME, IT'S ABOUT FAMILY, IT'S ABOUT RESPECT. TOM: CURRENTLY, FARMWORKERS CAN LABOR UP TO 10 HOURS PER DAY, SIX DAYS PER WEEK, WITHOUT OVERTIME. THE NEW PLAN LOWERS IT TO EIGHT HOURS A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. >> CHANGE OFTENTIMES TAKES A LONG TIME, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS NEVER TO GIVE UP. TOM: IN 2014, CALIFORNIA FARMS AND RANCHES RAKED IN $54 BILLION. MEANTIME, THE AVERAGE FARMWORKERS MADE JUST $14,000. THE BILL'S AUTHOR LORENA GONZALEZ CALLS THAT UNACCEPTABLE. >> CALIFORNIA AG HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY IN THEIR PROFITS, AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE PROFITS CAN BE SHARED A LITTLE BIT WITH FARMWORKERS. TOM: HOWEVER, OPPONENTS ARGUE THE BILL WILL COST FARMING JOBS AND HURT PRODUCTION WITH CHEAPER LABOR ELSEWHERE. >> AS MORE OF THOSE JOBS MOVE TO OTHER COUNTRIES, NOT ONLY DO OUR WORKERS LOSE JOBS, BUT OUR FOOD HAS SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS. TOM: THAT ARGUMENT ISN'T SLOWING THE CELEBRATION. >> I'M VERY HAPPY FOR MY FARMWORKERS, FOR ALL MY COWORKERS, AND FOR THIS NATION. TOM: CALIFORNIA NOW JUST A STEP AWAY FROM BECOMING THE FIRST STATE TO LEVEL THE FIELD FOR FARMWORKERS. IF PASSED, THESE NEW WILL BE HOURS GRADUALLY INTRODUCED OVER FOUR YEARS, STARTING IN 2019. WE ARE ALSO LEARNING THAT SMALL FARMS WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEARS BEFORE THE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT.

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Bill expands overtime for California farmworkers

A new bill would pay farmworkers overtime after eight hours per day or 40 hours per week. Currently, farmworkers can work up to 10 hours per day, six days a week before they become eligible for overtime.